Paradisis, G.P., and C.B. Cooke. The effects of sprint running training on sloping surfaces. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(4):767–777. 2006.—The aim of this study was to examine the effects of sprint running training on sloping surfaces (3°) on selected kinematic and physiological variables. Thirty-five sport and physical education students were randomized into 4 training groups (uphill-downhill, downhill, uphill, and horizontal) and a control group, with 7 participants in each group. Pre- and posttraining tests were performed to examine the effects of 6 weeks of training on the maximum running speed at 35 m, step rate, step length, step time, contact time, eccentric and concentric phase of contact time, flight time, selected posture characteristics of the step cycle, and peak anaerobic power performance. Maximum running speed and step rate were increased significantly (p < 0.05) in a 35-m running test after training by 0.29 m·s−1 (3.5%) and 0.14 Hz (3.4%) for the combined uphill-downhill group and by 0.09 m·s−1 (1.1%) and 0.03 Hz (2.4%) for the downhill group, whereas flight time shortened only for the combined uphill-downhill training group by 6 milliseconds (4.3%). There were no significant changes in the horizontal and control groups. Overall, the posture characteristics and the peak anaerobic power performance did not change with training. It can be suggested that the novel combined uphill-downhill training method is significantly more effective in improving the maximum running velocity at 35 m and the associated horizontal kinematic characteristics of sprint running than the other training methods are.

One type of their training consists of short term bouts of sprinting on various degrees of incline..... some that are really freakin steep. It is very unorthodox... the athlete stand next to the already at full speed treadmill, and actually jumps on running. They run a prescribed time (usually a matter of seconds) and then jump off. I think I remember seeing speeds of 22 mph and maybe higher accomplished by high school kids, on a steep incline.
Sounded hokey to me at first.... but they have created a lot of faster, more agile athletes.

One type of their training consists of short term bouts of sprinting on various degrees of incline..... some that are really freakin steep. It is very unorthodox... the athlete stand next to the already at full speed treadmill, and actually jumps on running. They run a prescribed time (usually a matter of seconds) and then jump off. I think I remember seeing speeds of 22 mph and maybe higher accomplished by high school kids, on a steep incline.
Sounded hokey to me at first.... but they have created a lot of faster, more agile athletes.

Have a look at that link.

I have a couple friends in the NFL that have used this type of training- it does have some validity on working top-speed mechanics and improving turnover rate. Running downhill on a slight (5% or less) decline will accomplish the same thing, and at UNCC, we have a sling-shot type device (a cord that attaches to the athlete) that will actually pendulum the sprinter down the track much faster than they normally would run. Basically, it simply teaches the nervous system to fire faster- the technical term for it is overspeed training.

We incorporate hills and stairs into a great deal of our training, because it allows the athlete to mimick the angle of a start/drive phase, and stay at this angle much longer, all while staying within a line of power.

Interesting! The overspeed training seems like a sure fire way for me to get hurt. lol

Acceleration has a very interesting apparatus for training: a really big (probably 8-10 feet wide maybe?) treadmill with a belt that is designed to be used by an athlete wearing iceskates. They actually skate on the treadmill. They get hooked into this series of elastic belts that can be manipulated by the trainer to provide tension in any given direction or angle. The treadmill is put at a steep incline, to force the athlete to get into a low crouch position while skating. Neat to watch.

when i was running track in highschool. I was a long triple and high jumper we used to use that pendulem type thing.

a sprinter about 50 yrds up had a chord strapped to him and so did we he would get running abot half speed and it would sling shot the hell out of us.

real crazy speed.

I was a puller one time and i actually drug a person thru the ground i had no ideal they fell and i kept running

That's funny- I have seen some interesting **** happen out on the track, football field, and on treadmills (especially the last couples years)- two pretty dangerous places if you don't know what you are doing

I once saw a woman literally get thrown across the gym (she flew about 6-7 feet) b/c she tripped when she was running full speed on a treadmill

Last year one of the elite sprinters was doing hurdle hops (basically a series of 4-5 consecutive two-footed jumps over 4-4.5 ft. tall hurdles)- he got off the ground wrong on the last one, and twisted, and somehow ended up coming straight down with a leg on either side of the hurdle (straight nut shot). Needless to say, the hurdle broke in half, and he was laid out for a week

That's funny- I have seen some interesting **** happen out on the track, football field, and on treadmills (especially the last couples years)- two pretty dangerous places if you don't know what you are doing

I once saw a woman literally get thrown across the gym (she flew about 6-7 feet) b/c she tripped when she was running full speed on a treadmill

Last year one of the elite sprinters was doing hurdle hops (basically a series of 4-5 consecutive two-footed jumps over 4-4.5 ft. tall hurdles)- he got off the ground wrong on the last one, and twisted, and somehow ended up coming straight down with a leg on either side of the hurdle (straight nut shot). Needless to say, the hurdle broke in half, and he was laid out for a week

Man in baseball season our warmups were 2 mile runs, and midway through practice we would run hills and slide back down...crazy!! got my cardio fitness level muuuch higher, and gave me much better leg definition and power.